Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) has revealed he will not celebrate sprint victories when he beats his former QuickStep teammates as a sign of respect, but he intends “to win as much as possible” in 2019, with Milan-San Remo a first major target for the spring before he goes on to finally make his debut in the cobbled Classics of northern Europe. He is also due to return to the Tour de France after two stage victories and a day in the yellow jersey in 2018, with the world road race championships in Yorkshire a final goal of the season.
Gaviria has already won two stages at the Vuelta a San Juan, with his new UAE Team Emirates teammates quickly forming an effective and successful lead out train and delivering him to the finish. Gaviria has a lot of respect and admiration for his former teammates on Decenuninck-QuickStep, but he does not seem to regret making the move to UAE Team Emirates and signing an economically better three-year contract.
"It’s been a big change in my life, it's not easy to change teams. I was at QuickStep for three years and the riders were my friends too, but we struck a good deal and everyone was happy. I feel I’m at the centre of this new project,” Gaviria pointed out during an interview with the media present at the Vuelta a San Juan, including Cyclingnews.
“At UAE Team Emirates we trained well together in December and January, and I trained well in Colombia too. I felt better and better but was also relaxed about things. It was difficult in this first race because I’m with new guys and there’s a new lead out. But after the first day and the first win, everything gelled and everyone was happy. It made me realise I’d made a good decision to start with a new team.”
Gaviria admits he learnt a lot, especially about sprinting, while at QuickStep, with veteran Argentinean leadout man Max Richeze his mentor. Richeze was under contract and so unable to also make the move to UAE Team Emirates, but Gaviria will show his respect and gratitude by not throwing up his arms after a sprint win.
“I didn’t celebrate here in San Juan and won’t celebrate as a sign of respect towards my former teammates, Max (Richeze), Iljo (Keisse), Alvaro (Hodeg) and Julian (Alaphilippe),” Gaviria made clear.
“They’re like family to me, they’re my friends. When I’m racing against Max, I’ll never put my arms up to celebrate. It’s a bit like a footballer who doesn’t celebrate scoring a goal when they play against a team they just left.”
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A bike throw wins stage 4 in San Juan for Gaviria ahead of Sagan (Bettini Photo)
Respect for his former QuickStep teammates
Gaviria preferred to always speak in Spanish while at QuickStep but seemed happy to try to speak in English now, only switching to his native tongue to express a difficult concept. He speaks Italian with the young Italian riders with him in San Juan, but he knows that UAE Team Emirates is now an English-first team after it changed its medical and coaching staff over the winter.
Gaviria is still only 24, but he appears to have matured significantly after the success of 2018 and his team transfer.
“This year I'm more relaxed, even on social media. I think I’m able enjoy things more,” he conceded.
“Some years things have been more difficult because there has been a lot of big changes in my life. Three years ago nobody knew who I was, then suddenly I was at the centre of attention in every race. It was difficult, but now I understand it’s my job and I enjoy it more. Of course I know I have even more responsibility with this team. At QuickStep they tried to win every race, and now it’s the same here.”
Gaviria will share sprinting responsibilities at UAE Team Emirates with Alexander Kristoff, but he appears to be the team’s number one sprinter after his high-profile move to the team. Kristoff vented his frustration about Gaviria’s arrival in November, suggesting he will be an expensive leadout man if he is forced to simply sacrifice his chances and wok for his new teammate in the Classics and Tour de France sprints.
Gaviria cleverly stayed on message about his relationship with the Norwegian, perhaps trusting that his sprinting speed will earn him the role of top dog.
“We spoke in December, everything is okay with him,” Gaviria said.
“If it’s a normal sprint, we’ll go with the best rider. If I don't have good legs, I'll ride for him, and if it’s the other way around, he’ll work for me. We are not children, we’re all professionals. We represent the UAE. We’ll go to the UAE Tour and see what happens there.”
Max Richeze congratulates Fernando Gaviria after Gaviria won stage 1 in San Juan (Bettini Photo)
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via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/fernando-gaviria-on-sprinting-its-simple-i-just-want-to-win
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